10 Common Errors In Your Writing You Need To Fix Right Now

Yet as anyone who spends any time reading writers’ submissions knows, this too often so NOT the case! Look, the odd mistake or typo will always slip through. NO reader, agent, producer or assistant worth their salt will ever care about that. What we’re talking about are the CONSISTENT CLANGERS that can get you marked down, or worse, thrown in the dreaded OUT tray!

So here’s a list of those little, niggly things that can mean so much to your spec screenplay or unpublished novel when you’re sending it out. . .

1) Fonts

i) Screenwriters

Believe it or not, screenwriters STILL submit spec scripts in fonts other than courier. Make no mistake: this is a non-negotiable. This includes short films, feature screenplays and YES, spec TV Pilots as well! No one cares if there’s a template for whatever *type* of show you’ve written, just write it in courier. By the way, Courier New is a horrible version, it’s much lighter than Courier Final Draft or Courier Prime and will give manual formatting via MS Word away in seconds. Download software!!!

MORE:The B2W Format One Stop Shop – A complete rundown of all the format issues I see most often in spec screenplays, plus what to do about them.

ii) Novelists

If you’re making submissions to agents, or even if you’re not and publishing straight to the Kindle, the preferred font is Times New Roman.

2) Layout

i) Screenwriters

Remember, scene description is scene ACTION. Make sure you revitalise your scene description, avoiding camera angles and other niggly things, like “widows” (aka “orphans”), which are single words that occupy a line all by themselves. Too many of these little blighters and you can end up with a false reading re: your script’s page count, plus it just looks scrappy.

ii) Novelists

As it says below, novels need to be double-spaced. That’s just the way it’s done. So do it.

3) Apostrophe Confusion

This error is probably Numero Uno in the spec pile, whether I’m reading screenplays, pitch material or novels. This is a real shame, because it’s actually easy to get a handle on this, if you’re disciplined (that’s the bad news). The good news is, there are plenty of strategies to deal with apostrophe confusion and even cure yourself altogether.

It’s NOT difficult to see why apostrophes cause so much confusion. There are three main ways these slippery little sods can cause headaches for writers: contractions, plurals and possessives.

i) Contractions

Contractions are basically two words squished together, as below.

Contractions are easy to check, because all you need to do is think about what you’re REALLY writing, such as the below:

“You are the one for me”:

ii) Apostrophes vs. Plurals and Contractions

Sometimes people will put an apostrophe in a word that’s actually a plural. It’s rare you need to do this. Other times, people will think it’s a word is a contraction, when it isn’t. Check these out:

iii) Possessives

Other times, you need an apostrophe to indicate something belongs to someone / something else. This is admittedly quite weird and theories abound for how it happened, but my favourite is the one that stuck in my mind and helped me remember:The notion behind the above is that the English Language is SEXIST as the apostrophe formation is always derived from the word “his”, whether the subject is male OR female. Who knows if it’s true and frankly who cares (How’d we even say, “Lucy‘r writing”, rather than “Lucy‘s writing”??), but it is a handy way of remembering the possessive!!

4) Tenses

There are obviously loads of ways of expressing yourself with language and if you’re a non-native speaker or an EFL/ESL teacher, you’ll know there’s loads of tense formations in English. But for the sake of clarity, let’s go with these ones:

i) Screenwriters

Screenwriters should write in the PRESENT SIMPLE. Lots of scribes write in present continuous, which can be very “flabby” at worst and at best, take up extra space. Present simple, that all-important /s/ format is the tense of choice. That’s not to say you can’t EVER use the continuous (aka “progressive”), just use it in addition to, NOT instead of, present simple. It’s rare screenwriters ever need to use the perfective aspect. MORE:Improve Your Writing

ii) Novelists

Novelists and non fiction writers, bloggers etc can obviously use whatever they want, include the PAST versions of the above tenses. However, it’s really important to remember CONSISTENCY IS KEY. I see a lot of seemingly random mixing and it rarely works. MORE:Exercises on tense consistency

5) Mixed Tenses

i) Screenwriters

The ones below are probably variations of those I read most often. In screenplays, in scene description, it’s nearly always a massive error to include them (not so much in dialogue though, as it could be argued it’s the character, not the writer, using the mixed tenses!).

ii) Novelists

In terms of novels, I think it depends on HOW you’re writing your book. If writing in the first person or using a narrator, it could be argued mixed tenses are okay because it’s *how* “normal” people speak. I’d venture using mixed tenses in the third person however looks like a mistake, rather than a deliberate style choice.

So you know: mixed tenses *can* be a massive pet peeve of script readers, though the tide of public opinion appears to be turning in their favour. That said, if you are going to use them, I think it’s wise to ensure readers KNOW it’s a considered choice and not just a mistake!

The next 5 tips are on the Bang2Write page. Head over there to tick off what you know and where, if anywhere, you can improve.

Every story begins with a spell, invoked through the opening line. We can expand this to say every chapter, every scene and even every paragraph also begins with a spell.

Why? According the the Harry Potter universe, an opening spell facilitates the passage between two zones, creating an accessible connection. In the case of fiction, the connection is between the reader and writer, a conduit that transports both to a “secondary world” where the story takes place.

Think of the opening spell as the magic that draws the reader in, convincing them to sets aside their ‘real’ world responsibilities and immerse in the pages. Like any good spell, there are a variety of ways to go about it, but realize this inaugural line is rarely written first. Often the first line, paragraph and chapter are edited and revised for days, weeks and months after the story is completed.

Of course, there are exceptions. Stephen King, for example, creates whole stories around the opening line:

Because it’s not just the reader’s way in, it’s the writer‘s way in also, and you’ve got to find a doorway that fits us both. I think that’s why my books tend to begin as first sentences — I’ll write that opening sentence first, and when I get it right I’ll start to think I really have something – Stephen King

To make this opening spell powerful, you have to be willing to give it your all. It might help to identify your approach. Here are four to consider:

The plunge – shock and awe

The mood – voice and style

The compel – it’s irresistible

The back story – the table setter

Ingredients required for each will vary. I’ll break it down but note all will require a measure of time, imagination, paper and pen or word processor, and of course, solitude.

These opening spells tend to be more world building. They rely on voice, and the promise of what is to come.

“Prince Raoden of Arelon awoke early that morning, completely unaware that he had been damned for all eternity.” Brandon Sanderson – Elantris

“Walking to school over the snow-muffled cobbles, Karou had no sinister premonitions about the day.” Laini Taylor, Daughter of Smoke and Bone

“By the time the first AIVAS had finished its recital of the first nine years of the colonization of Pern, the sun, Rukbat, has set with an unusually fine display. Anne McCaffrey – All the Werys of Pern

“‘Ark-aawl’ —a hundred voices calling their territory from the treetops. Ly de Angeles – The Quickening

“The wind blew out of the northwest in dry, fierce gusts, sweeping across the face of the Gray Lands.” Helen Low – The Wall of Night

“In the days following the holocaust, which came to be known as the Great White, there was death and madness.” Isobelle Carmody – Obernewtyn

“It is said, in Imardin, that the wind has a soul, and that it wails through the narrow city streets because it is grieved by what it finds there.” Trudi Canavan – The Magicians’ Guild

3) The Compel

Falling by Igor Grushko Vayne

This opening spell is often a cross between the Plunge and the Mood. It has elements of both.

“On the second day of December, in a year when a Georgia peanut farmer was doing business in the White House, one of Colorado’s great resort hotels burned to the ground.” Stephen King – The Shining

On this last one, the author comments:

It sets you in time. It sets you in place. And it recalls the ending of the book. This isn’t grand or elegant — it’s a door-opener . . . There’s nothing “big” here. It’s just one of those grace notes you try to put in there so that the narrative has a feeling of balance, and it helped me find my way in – Stephen King

In a hole in the ground lived a hobbit.

4) The Back Story

Back story as an opening spell is tricky. Readers want to be in the here and now, diving into what is, not what was. But with the right tone and pace, it can work.

Back story first lines deal with the past in a way that draws the reader in. We must be compelled to ask, “And then what?”

“Eight Months ago, I was attacked in the back alley of my home town and rescued by an uber-hot guy named Chaz.” Amanda Arista – Nine Lives of an Urban Panther

“In the early 1800’s a man named Amadeo Avogadro hypothesized a number—a baker’s dozen for chemists, but in his equation hid a paradox, one that could alter reality with a single thought.” Kim Falconer – Path of the Stray

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.” JRR Tolkien – The Hobbit

Whether the opening begins with fear, shock, surprise, a problem, a question, a character or history, if you keep reading, it has done it’s job.

A few things that may not work as opening spells

Note: There are exceptions!

* Dialog, unless we have a strong sense of who is talking and care.

* Exposition. We don’t want eyes to glaze, ever.

* Superfluous characters or info, because . . . it’s superfluous

* Introducing too many characters, foreign names, places or things we can’t relate to or prnounce.

Have a look at your favorite authors and genres, noticing their approach to opening lines. What do you think works best? The Plunge? The Mood? Back story? I’d love to hear them in the comments!.

These posts are numbered, starting with Step 1, but this is not a linear process. See it more as a mobius loop where you find your own starting point. Jump in where it’s relevant to you.

Today’s topic is Formatting: How avoid rejection by doing it right

You know formatting is important, but do you know how to do it? Here are eleven key points to follow if you want your manuscript to be read by an editor, publisher or agent and not chucked in the bin because you were unaware of the guidelines.

Yes, there are guidelines. Most publishing houses and agents have them, so before you send, look them up and adjust your work appropriately before you submit.

It really is that important.

Here are the basics:

* 1″ margin on all sides
* Use a standard font, 12-point type. Times New Roman or Aria
* Double-space the entire text.
* Include a title page with your contact details and title of the work
* Number the pages, beginning with the first page of story text
* Use a header on each page, including your name, the title and date
* Each new chapter gets its own page, starting 1/3 of the way down the page
* Chapter number and chapter title are in all caps, separated by two hyphens
* Start the body of the chapter four to six lines below the chapter title.
* Indent fives spaces for each new paragraph.
* If you don’t know how to format dialog – go here

Seems simple, right? As a mentor for the local writers center, I have yet to receive a ms that ticked even half the boxes for standard formatting. So, follow the rules. Check the agent/publisher’s specific guidelines, and get yourself in the habit of doing it right.

Remember, one of the fastest ways to be coming a professional writer is to get into the vibration of being one – and that means you know how to present your work!

Welcome to a new series of posts in the Writerly Sector of the 11th House Blog.

Over the next few months, I’m going to share steps which lead to publishing success. The focus is manly on genre fiction, but much can apply to non fiction and “literary” fiction as well.

The steps to publishing success will be numbered, starting with Step 1, but this in not a linear process. See it more as a mobius loop. You may not be taking these steps in the order I deliver them. Find your own starting point and jump in where you are drawn.

– this series offers support, guidance, tips and feedback for your highest success.

Are you ready?

Step one.Make it your own.

Huh? What’s that mean?

It means, begin by writing the story you want to tell in the genre or blend that lights you up, with the POV (point of view) and voice and pace that feeds your muse. The operant words are you, you, yours. Later, when you are ready for revision (there is always revision) you’ll research your genre and nail it, hone the word count range, consider audience, publishers’ guidelines, tempo, pace etc. But first, make it your own.

In the case of the writer, that means find what feels good for the story. At the start, it’s incredibly personal. You may want to tune out the suggestions of others, family, friends, readers, editors, agents, publishers, until that first draft is down. They will be incredibly helpful for revision, but not yet. For now, it’s a “12th house journey” quiet, solo, immersed in the world of the your own imagination.

To accomplish this, you must feed your muse. This will be different for everyone, so tune in to your own inner guidance and find out what she or he prefers.

Don’t set out to write a novel. That’s daunting. Set out to write a scene, and then another and another. In a matter of months, you have a first draft.

At this stage, it is completely your own.

Next we’ll look at the manuscript itself and the all crucial formatting. Many a good story has been rejected simply because the writer didn’t know how to present it. Before we talk about structure and editing, we’ll make sure the ms (manuscript) won’t be knocked back on presentation alone.

This post is from my Supernatrual Underground spot. I thought I would highlight it here (manual reblog) so anyone who wants to win a free Kindle copy of Tatsania’s Gift (YA Urban Fantasy and prequel the QE Series) can pop their fav mask in the comments here, as well as there). Enjoy xxxKim

Since the beginning of time, masks have had a powerful influence on human evolution. From preliterate societies to the ancient Greeks and on to present times, the mask represents a part of our multiplicity, the many ‘selves’ that reside within.

Greek Comedy and Tragedy

In the Greek amphitheater, masks were performance props that helped bring out a ‘persona,’ a word that originally meant ‘to sound through’. The mask actually amplified the voice of the actor on stage, a wonderful metaphor for the expression of character.

Joseph Campbell explores this deeply in The Masks of God, delving into philosophical views of supreme beings in preliterate, Eastern, and Western cultures. He shows how, through story and ritual, we meet the divine, and sometimes demonic (dynamic), within – via our masks.In modern times, the mask (metaphorical or real) can be a way of allowing a particular aspect of our personality its day in the sun.

We still use masks in fiction to embellish (hide, punish, trick, curse, bless, amplify) a character.

It may seem like the mask makes them more archetypal, as in the evil of Darth Vader, the trickster Stanley Ipkiss in The Mask, or Batman and Zorro’s dark hero, but the story always reveals its deeper meaning when the characters finally take off the mask. Then we see what lies beneath.

“PUT off that mask of burning gold
With emerald eyes.”
“O no, my dear, you make so bold
To find if hearts be wild and wise,
And yet not cold.”
“I would but find what’s there to find,
Love or deceit.”
“It was the mask engaged your mind,
And after set your heart to beat,
Not what’s behind.”
“But lest you are my enemy,
I must enquire.”
“O no, my dear, let all that be;
What matter, so there is but fire
In you, in me?”

Having a group of beta readers and an editorial team is ideal for polishing a work before publication, especially considering it takes 1-2 years to get a manuscript ready for print, not including the year(s) that go in before it’s even sold. Always,my books are a team effort, especially the collaborations. But even though writerly insights com from such critique and review, I also aim to continually develop Self-critical capabilities, and that means building specific skills through practice.

This takes objectivity and awareness, a kind of stepping aside and walking around the work to see it from a new perspective. One of the most valuable ways to support this ‘walking around the work’ is the ‘crit-checklist.’ Below is my current version. It’s what works best for me.

Crit-Checklist for the Amassia Series

1) Is my Muse on board? Create the space by showing up through a daily writing practice

2) Does the story have legs? Original AND marketable ideas and characters?

Is the narrative free of cliche, been there done that, this-again feel?

Note: my preference is not to focus on spelling/grammar/outline until the story is down. Too much critique in the early, vulnerable, stages of writing can pinch off the creative flow, for me anyway. You?

I’d love to hear your approach. I know there are many published, working and emerging writers who drop into the 11th house. Tips? Experiences? Projects? What’s up?

For a growing list of posts on writing and publishing, links are here.

Welcome today Mars (action) into the sign of Virgo (critical analysis and discernment). What a perfect time to hone our review skills!

Some journalist say the best way to write an eye catching review is ring up the author’s ex and ask them the questions. Ouch! In lieu of this second hand (or under hand) approach, here are ten tips to consider when writing a review. Additions most welcome!

Know your audience. If you want to capture the readers’ interest by using tone, vocabulary and references that make sense to them, you need to know who they are.

Know your publication. Whether you review for a blog, newspaper, magazine or online forum, familiarize yourself with their previously published reviews. What do the editors/moderators want? Word count? Tone? Emphasis?

Review the book, not yourself. It’s easy to talk about how you might have handled a certain character, dialog or event differently than the author. These kinds of anecdotes are fun in forums but they aren’t the best way to present the book review unless it fits the tone of the publication. It may help to avoid using the first person. Keep in mind that the review, read against the grain, may tell more about the reviewer than the actual book.

Take notes as you read. Gather examples of characterizations, world building, action, style, sensuality, (sound, taste, texture) passages that grab you, or not. These are the aspects of the review that will give it distinction.

Adjectives. Most writing does better without them. Instead of a poignant, stunning, breathtaking, awesome surprise ending, consider ‘the end will leave readers smiling for days to come.’ Also avoid redundant modifiers like final ending. See Jennifer Fallon for further insights.

Remember the Author. It may be appropriate to note something about the author. Is this their first novel? What else have they written? Qualifications? Are there more works coming?

Remember the Reader. Give readers enough information so they can assess the book’s appeal. Objectivity is the challenge here. Think matchmaking.

Develop your own Voice. The review is a composition with its own style, tone and impact. It is your voice, your freedom of speech. Polish and revise until it’s the best it can be. Remember, publishers will be reading it too!

Well written reviews give attention to new works and authors. They also bring attention to the genre. Mostly, they can engage you with a readership, bringing an invitation for further discussion, a gift offered to those who might want it. (see Part I) Have you written any reviews lately? Read any memorable ones? Authors, readers, reviewers, would you like to share your best/worst review experience? Discussions welcome!

In honor of Mercury (thoughts, learning, thinking, reading, teaching, communicating) in Scorpio (research, analyse, occult mystery tour) I am running a series of posts on writing.

Some of them appeared on the original Voyager Blog, which is no longer active. I thought I would pull them out of hibernation for all of you who love to read and write! And, with Mercury soon to go retrograde (rethink, revise, rewind) what better place to start than with ‘review’?

The word review comes from the Latin revidere, meaning to see again. In the literary world, a review examines with the purpose of critique. It’s a judgment, usually including two parts—summation and evaluation. It’s also a relationship.

Margaret Atwood uses biblical imagery to describe this relationship between the writer and reviewer. She places the author in the role of divine creator, drawing a blank page from the maw of Chaos and turning it, one day at a time, into a detailed narrative. On the 7th day (or perhaps 700th) it is handed over to the critic who spends considerably less time analysing it.

The critic looks ‘after the fact’ to discern if the novel has value, meaning, authenticity and plausibility, situating it in the context they believe it was written and finally giving it a result. The crucial point that Atwood makes is the novelist is distanced from the process of critical analysis. They are concerned with the act of creation, asking what will happen next and what is the right word. The critic has a different question. They ask, what does this mean. When the reader gets a hold of it, it’s something else again. They are asking what does this mean to me. In this way, the critic, reader and novelist can be at odds, each seeing the work from a different angle.

Marylaine Block, a librarian for over 22 years, pictures a more romantic relationship between author and critic. She likens reviewers to matchmakers, saying their primary function is to bring readers together with their perfect mates, books that they can appreciate and enjoy. Jonathan Marshall, a Research Fellow at Western Australian’s Edith Cowan University, takes it a step further. He sees the review as an invitation to discussion, a gift offered to those who might want it, rather than a bludgeon to instruct the insensitive masses.

Whether searching for meaning, matchmaking or creating an open forum, literary critics seldom miss the opportunity to exercise their authority. Not many reviews are free of criticisms and some can be brutal. Bruce Mazlish, a professor of history at MIT, highlights the reviewers’ power over the author. Reviews can affect careers, reputations, positions, salaries and self-esteem. He points out that a publisher’s ‘reader review’ can impact the decision to offer a contract. That’s significant power. Yet with all this weight given to the reviewer, very little training is required to become one. Mazlish sums it up neat. ‘Reviewing is regarded as a democratic practice: anybody can do it.’

What do you think? How important are reviews to you? Do you write them? Read them? Do they sway your opinion of an author or alter your reading choices? What stock do you put in Amazon.com reviews, of which can be bought now, I hear? Share your experiences here! Part II will follow tomorrow: 10 Tips for writing reviews.

Hi Everyone! With the anthology Vampires Gone Wild about to come out in paperback (March 26th – HarperCollins Avon) I’m giving away copies! This post was up on the Supernatural Underground, but for those who missed it, I wanted to give you a chance to win as well! You can jump in on the comments here, and have your name go in the hat!

If . . . you are brave enough to tell your best, wildest, scariest, loveliest or sexiest kiss, that is!

Meanwhile, here some interesting facts about ‘the kiss.’

(Note: because my contribution to Vampires Gone Wild. Blood and Water, begins and ends beneath the sea, all images are underwater, in keeping with the mood.)

1. The word origins of ‘kiss’ stem from the proto-Germanic kuss, possibly an onomatopoeia for the act of kissing.

5. To French kiss, you use 34 facial muscles. A pucker kiss involves two.

6. Passionate kissing burns 6.4 calories a minute.

7. It is possible for a woman to reach an orgasm through kissing. (Really?)

8. The Kama Sutra lists over 30 types of kisses.

9. Scholars are unsure if kissing is a learned or instinctual behavior. In some cultures in Africa and Asia, kissing does not seem to be practiced. (My opinion is that with men, it’s definitely learned, and women have to teach them!)

10. Kissing at the conclusion of a wedding ceremony can be traced to ancient Roman

11. Under the Hays Code (between 1930-1968), Hollywood had its limits. People kissing on the silver screen could not be horizontal; at least one had to be sitting or standing, not lying down. In addition, all on-screen married couples slept in twin beds…and if kissing on one of the beds occurred, at least one of the spouses had to have a foot on the floor. (my how times have changed!)

12. The kiss between Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant in the 1946 film Notorious is one of the sexiest kisses in cinematic history. Because the Hays Code allowed on-screen kisses to last only a few seconds, Alfred Hitchcock directed Bergman and Grant to repeatedly kiss briefly while Grant was answering a telephone call. The kiss seems to go on and on but was never longer than a few seconds.

13. More than 95% of men and women occasionally like to rub noses while kissing. (The correct phrase for this would be ‘Inuit kiss.’)

14. The film with the most kisses is Don Juan (1926) in which John Barrymore and Mary Astor share 127 kisses. The film with the longest kiss is Andy Warhol’s 1963 film Kiss. The 1961 film Splendor in the Grass, with Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty, made history for containing Hollywood’s first French kiss.

15. The Four Vedic Sanskrit texts (1500 B.C.) contain the first mention of a kiss in writing.

16. The term “French kiss” is a 1920’s reflection of the French culture which was thought to be quite sexy. In France, it’s called soul kiss because if done right, it feels as if two souls are merging. In fact, several ancient cultures thought that mouth-to-mouth kissing mingled two lovers’ souls. (That’s my favorite!)

This is the second book in the series. It follows Daughter of Smoke and Bone. (my review here) I finished Days of Blood over a week ago but I had no clarity around how to comment on it, on my experience of reading it. Five stars, hands down, because Laini Taylor is a terrific writer, lyrical, potent and rich, so rich!

But . . .

I didn’t ‘enjoy’ being in this book and on reflection I’m pretty sure I wasn’t meant to. It’s dark, in the level of self-loathing and despair. It seems that Karou, Hope, is a word deleted. There’s no place for it in this world. Heart wrenching. Utterly. And cruel too.

It wasn’t until I went back and reread ‘Daughter’ that I could feel connected to the characters again, and I realized that Taylor had warned us, right on page one of the first book.

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love. It didn’t end well . . .

We knew what we were getting into.

The story is about change and survival, and what happens to the heart when we lose too much. It’s painfully sad, and hopeless, but after some time and distance from the book, I find a sense of hope rising again and this is the brilliance of the story. It reminds us of our ability to believe in the potential, at least, for something better, even when all signs point in another direction. Even when there is no reason to. I don’t know if that was Taylor’s intention, but it’s brilliant none the less.

I’ll read book three. I look forward to where it will takes us. I survived book two and really, how can it get any worse?

Has anyone else gotten into this series? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

And yet I also become annoyed whenever the great Homer nods off. – Horace 23BCE

I posted this on the Supernatrual Underground the other day but didn’t mention the tie in with Mercury Rx. Of course we ‘nod’ more often then! How’s everyone going? Any conundrums?

The ‘Homeric Nod’, or continuity as we now call it, has been a problem for thousands of years. Some deliberate, most accidental, continuity is an age old challenge for storytellers everywhere.

I have a friend who teaches the ins and outs of continuity (known also as script direction). She’s brilliant, and no small fry, having been the ‘scripty’ on films as fabulous as The Matrix series, The Lord of the Rings (all three) and soon to be released, The Hobbit. I did tech support for a class she gave last week and I found film continuity not all that different from the issues a novelist faces. A lot of the techniques for catching these errors in film translate well for authors, and it does make a huge difference, having the continuity water tight.

Why?

Because unless it’s a comedy, seeing or reading an anachronism, inconsistency or error will jolt the reader/viewer out of the participation mystique of the story. Suddenly they are no longer ‘with’ the characters but back in the audience, scratching their heads because a jet just flew over ancient Troy. Oh boy. That’s almost as bad as Edward saying that Carlisle, in 1660, “actually found a coven of true vampires that lived hidden in the sewers of the city . . .” when said sewage system wouldn’t be built for another two hundred years. If the reader knows their history, it’s going to snap them out of ‘it’, and that’s definitely not the goal.

As we can see, big name authors with major publishing houses are not exempt from these problems. Did anyone catch in Chamber of Secrets where Dumbledore tells Harry that Lord Voldemort is the last remaining ancestor of Salazar Slytherin. Sure JKR meant descendant but why didn’t the editorial process, and the author, pick that up? (It’s been corrected in later print runs, something film editors can’t do!) Readers are very good at spotting such things and a lot of subsequent print run corrections are due to them writing in. Don’t be shy. Your authors appreciate it!

Usually novelists have more control over continuity than script directors on a film set. What writer, for example, would have gorgeous Captain Jack Sparrow about to say something mouth-watering-witty with the ticky-tag on his bandanna showing? Novelists aren’t dependent on air traffic, sound artists, make up or wardrobe to get it right. But we do end up being all of the above and more when it comes to the final product – a book in the reader’s hands. When the ‘poor continuity’ hammer falls; it falls squarely on the author’s head. It’s not like we haven’t had a chance to make corrections.

Publishing houses may differ slightly but the editorial process looks something like this:

1) Author hands in manuscript

2) Editor makes general comments

3) Author applies suggestions

4) Editor rereads and may return with more suggestions or send on to the structural editor

7) Ms goes to copy editor who edits for grammar and spelling mostly but also consistency, meaning and clarity.

8) Ms returns to author to put in changes/rework

9) Ms goes to proofreaders where one to six proofreaders mark errors and make comments. All the comments from various proofreaders are then transcribed onto one manuscript which the publishing editor reviews. At HarperCollins Aus, this would then result in a phone call (sometimes lasting hours) where the question marks and quirks and ‘ifs’ are discussed with the author. The editor puts in agreed changes.

10) The ms then goes to typesetting and the resulting ‘fourth pages’ are sent to the author to proof.

11) The author catches any errors and shoots the ms back to the publisher (This process is repeated with third, and second pages until they are down to the first pages complete with the dedication, acknowledgements and copyright info.)

12) The author checks those first pages and returns to editor (the turn around time become increasingly shorter with each of these steps)

13) Ms is off to print. Yay!

It’s not a haphazard process, yet still mistakes appear. My friend the script director says that in film, it’s often down to the editing process where they have better shot, even with an inconsistency. They’ll take acting over continuity every time.

How about you, readers? Have you ever loved a book but wanted to throw it across the room because of the mistakes or typos? I bet this writer (below) wishes he’d had a copy editor on board! O. M. G #14!

Hestia, in the high dwellings of all, both deathless gods and men who walk on earth, you have gained an everlasting abode and highest honor: Glorious is your portion and your right. – Homer

Venus into Aquarius semi-sextile Vesta into Pisces (times here) is like the changing of the guards. You see things new: objectivity in the cool, calm, collected Venus and deep compassion and loyalty in Vesta. Friendships blossom and relationship are on the mend. This is an extremely creative combination for writers and artist and it makes for a beautiful energy around the solstice.

Vesta, or Hestia as she was known to the ancient Greeks, was the goddess of the hearth, the flame that burned brightly in every family home. She was also goddess of the sacred ceremonial fires that were used for public rituals. There are almost no images of Vesta, and it is thought that the Vestal virgins, the women that attended her flame, were living representations of the goddess. Plato referred to Hestia as the living flame itself.

Like Athene, Vesta is worshiped as a ‘virgin’ although the original meaning of the word did not imply sexual innocence. A virgin then described a woman who stood on her own, relying on no man for support, identity or companionship. Many of these virgins had lovers and consorts (and children) although they never married or adapted themselves to life ‘with a man’.

But by Roman (patriarchal) times, the Vestal virgins were like nuns, taking a vow of celibacy and devotion to the goddess. Transgressions were punished by slow death. It seems that by the time of Pontifex Maximus, the term ‘virgin’ had taken on its current meaning.

In pre-Hellenic Greece however, the Vestal virgins not only tended the sacred flame but performed a primary role of renewal to guaranteed the continuation of the royal line. As divine harlots, they would initiate men who came to the temple in honor of the goddess. This was not an exercise in sexual satisfaction; it was the symbolic consummation of a sacred union. A child born to a vestal was destined for royal succession if the king had no offspring.

It is said that Vesta was never touched by the spell of love in a personal sense (Venus) although when associated by aspect, there can be a blending, an understanding. Personal love (as directed by Venus) wants intimate encounters and divine love (Vesta) wants to consummate a spiritual union to preserve the flame of life. Really they are not in conflict but thousands of years of repression of the sacred feminine can mean women and men have no creative models for this energy. So let’s build some!

One sure fire way to tap this source energy is through creative expression. Tune into it a la writing, sketching, dancing, imagining and you meet the Muse. Ask what outlets do you have for your loving, creative heart? Can you name some ways, people or ideals that express this powerful energy? Play with it and see what blossoms.